China mine boss touts kidney

Transplant organs are in short supply in China

A Chinese man has been trying to sell one of his kidneys in Singapore to pay off debts following an accident at a coal mine he used to operate.

The man, from Gansu province, rang the Straits Times newspaper to say he would like to advertise one of his kidneys.

China's mines have an appalling safety record

He said he was desperate to raise 600,000 yuan ($72,579) to pay three miners who had won compensation claims after an accident which had left them badly crippled.

Until recently, people in China who wanted to sell organs advertised them on the internet.

The asking price was 85,000 to 570,000 yuan for a kidney, according to reports.

But the Straits Times said the online advertisements had been removed after they were highlighted in the media.

A reporter at the paper said they had refused to advertise the Gansu man's kidney offer.

"He said he was in dire straits. He had sold his firm and all his assets to raise money to pay compensation," she added. "But we told him what he was doing was illegal."

Beliefs

China does not have regulations governing the sale or donation of human organs.

But legislators are drafting laws to encourage voluntary donations, while banning the trade in human parts.

Many Chinese are reluctant to donate organs because of traditional beliefs that the body must be buried or cremated intact.

Beijing has strongly denied allegations that some officials have colluded in an illegal trade in human organs.

The government has also denied reports that convicts have been executed to provide organs to order.